THE BIBLE'S VIEWPOINT - ARCHAEOLOGY NECESSARY FOR FAITH?

In 1873 the English clergyman Samuel Manning wrote concerning Jerusalem:  "Drawn by an irresistible attraction, pilgrims flock hither from the very ends of the earth.  The crumbling wall, the squalid filthy streets, the mouldering ruins, are regarded with a profound and reverential interest by millions of mankind, such as no other spot on earth can excite." 


THE lure of the Holy Land has drawn people since at least the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine.   For some 1,500 years, pilgrims came and went, seeking a religious, personal contact with the Holy Land. Yet, surprisingly , it was not until the early 19th century that scholars began accompanying these pilgrims, thus opening the era of Biblical archaeology-the study of the artifacts, people, places and languages of the ancient Holy Land. 

The findings of archaeologists have resulted in an increased understanding of many aspects of the Bible times.  Also, the archaeological record has often harmonized with  Bible history. But is such knowledge necessary to a Christian faith?  To answer, let us focus our attention on the site of many archaeological digs-the city of Jerusalem and its temple.  

Next time: THE BIBLE'S VIEWPOINT-ARCHAEOLOGY NECESSARY FOR FAITH?/'A Stone Will Not Be Left Upon a Stone'

From the Awake! magazine